1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to the use of network messages for communicating information to a service center and resource manager regarding the usage of a network resource. The invention is more particularly related to the processing performed within a computer in order to process and forward the appropriate information from the network resource to the service center and resource manager. The invention is further related to a to method and system for sending an electronic mail message to the service center and resource manager regarding the network usage of the network resource. Still further, the invention is related to the transmission of a warning message to a resource manager, for example, when urgent service is needed by a network printer. Still further, the invention is related to the transmission of status messages from network printers to a service center, for example, regarding network usage of the network printers so that summary information may be generated and sent to the resource manager regularly.
2. Discussion of the Background
Electronic mail (xe2x80x9ce-mailxe2x80x9d) has become very popular for communicating information between people and provides the benefits of being inexpensive and convenient to a user. Extensive information and protocols are available explaining how e-mail including Internet e-mail operates and there are many commercially available programs for implementing e-mail functions.
Internet facsimile is also available. See, for example, Toyoda, K, Ohno, H., Murai, J., Wing, D., xe2x80x9cA Simple Mode of Facsimile Using Internet Mail,xe2x80x9d March, 1998, The Internet Society, Request For Comments (xe2x80x9cRFCxe2x80x9d) 2305, produced by the Internet Engineering Task Force (xe2x80x9cIETFxe2x80x9d) Fax Working Group, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a method, system, and program product for implementing communication using electronic network messages or e-mail.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method, system, and program product in which a message is received from, processed by, and transmitted to a resource manager which receives the electronic network message or e-mail.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a method, system, and program product which transmits information originating from a network resource through a service center to a resource manager.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a method, system, and program product which transmits information originating from a device through a service center to a resource manager.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method, system, and program product which transmits urgent information originating from a device to a resource manager.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a method, system, and program product which transmits urgent information regarding a problem with a device, via a message originating from the device, to a resource manager to raise awareness of the problem so that the resource manager may initiate corrective action to resolve the problem.
These and other objects are accomplished by a method, system, and program product in which an electronic network message regarding the status of a network resource is received by a service center or resource manager. When it is determined that urgent service is needed by a network resource, the network resource may send a status message directly to the resource manager. For routine status information, the network resource may send an electronic network message containing information regarding status information of the network resource to the service center for transmission of agreed information. The network resource may be any type of device including a business office device such as a printer, a copier, a scanner, or a facsimile machine, a digital camera, or any other electronic device which is desired to be remotely monitored and/or controlled including equipment for remotely monitoring and controlling utility meters and household appliances. The agreed information may be any type of information relating to the usage of the network resource, including, for example, information relating to paper jams, paper usage, toner usage, energy usage, functionality of device components, and usage frequency.
The invention also relates to the transmission of an outgoing e-mail message from a computer containing information from an attached device. Information from the device may be transmitted to a device driver of the computer and subsequently to a Massaging Application Programing Interface (xe2x80x9cMAPIxe2x80x9d) of the computer. If desired, the transmission of the electronic mail message from the device may establish a TCP (xe2x80x9cTransmission Control Protocolxe2x80x9d) connection between the computer and the device which functions as a message transfer agent. As a further alternative, one or more files may be created within the computer and these files may be written to a mail spool directory of the computer. When the computer detects the existence of the file(s) in the mail spool directory, an e-mail message is transmitted from the computer.
As a further alternative, the network resource may establish direct connections with destinations such as the service center and the resource manager for direct transmission of monitor and control information.